Do you like a huge, sprawling epic saga that spans miles and decades alike? Do you think a good fantasy novel is like a warm pool meant to be emersed in, embracing you in escapist solitude? This book is a good example of one of those. The best written worlds of fantasy tend to be series of three to ten books, but every once in a while a gem comes along that gives you the feel of a series in the compact form of one tome.

Al-Rassan is the name of a land that closely resembles medieval Spain both physically, culturally, and to an extent, historically. There are three main cultural groups approximating Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The land has a surprisingly rich and full flavor. There is a high believability factor that the characters are staying true to their respective natures.

The book follows the lives of three main characters; a man of the Muslims-like group, one of the Christianesque, and a woman of the group resembling the Jews. There is a great deal of intrigue, violence, and some sex. I won't go into the plot too deeply, I'll only say it is interesting, and the actions of these three characters help shape the peninsula they live on.

While engaging, this book is not perfect. It seems to contrive scenes to evoke an emotional response. The technique often works, but it leaves me feeling a bit manipulated. The male characters are much too sensitive and touchy feely for my taste, especially for a barbaric age. I prefer a little more heterosexual callousness in my heros. Writers write what they like, and Guy Gavriel Kay seems to like feelings, and plenty of them. The book does build to an emotional crescendo, and when the story's over, it leaves one with a profound sense of catharsis.

This is a high quality book for the genre. I would say it is in the top thirty to forty percent of the fantasy novels I've read. If you like it, try Tigana and The Fionavar Tapestry, a book and a series by Kay. My review of The Lions of Al-Rassan can be applied to both of these other worthy works, sans plot details, of course.

If you enjoy the adventure, poignancy, cleverness, and romance of high fantasy, this book is definitely worth reading. It will draw you into another world for five hundred pages or so, and leave an impression with you long after. I hope you enjoy it.